The utility of chemiluminescent light sources in emergency situations is well known. They are sources of chemically produced light which possess long term stability during storage. Moreover, the chemiluminescent reaction produces light without emission of heat, flame, sparks or gases; hence, the lightstick is safe for lighting in explosive environments and can be used without danger of causing fire or of burning the user. A well known commercially successful embodiment has come to be known as a lightstick which is a flexible plastic container which forms a light wand. Essentially a chemiluminescent lightstick comprises a flexible, transparent or translucent outer tube which enclose several chemical components of a chemiluminescent mixture with frangible means separating those components within the outer tube. When the frangible separating means is broken, the components combine within the outer tube and react to produce chemical light. The reaction is contained entirely within the outer tube so the light will not be extinguished by contact of the lightstick with water; the lightstick can even be used while submerged in water. Certain lightsticks can emit light of considerable intensity for several hours after actuation so they can be used as markers for rescue operations at night.
The assignee of the instant invention disclosed herein has been pioneer in this technology which it has disclosed to the public in numerous United States Patents, including the following:
______________________________________ 3,325,417 3,704,231 3,329,621 3,704,309 3,352,791 3,711,415 3,366,572 3,718,599 3,391,068 3,720,622 3,391,069 3,729,426 3,399,137 3,732,297 3,400,080 3,734,862 3,425,949 3,749,630 3,431,264 3,749,677 3,442,813 3,749,679 3,442,814 3,752,406 3,442,815 3,775,336 3,442,816 3,781,329 3,470,103 3,804,891 3,511,612 3,816,325 3,539,574 3,816,326 3,539,794 3,816,795 3,557,233 3,821,229 3,576,987 3,843,549 3,584,211 3,875,602 3,597,362 3,888,786 3,630,941 3,894,050 3,637,784 3,909,440 3,644,517 3,911,038 3,654,525 3,914,255 3,671,450 3,948,797 3,677,957 3,970,660 3,691,085 3,974,086 3,697,432 3,974,368 3,701,738 3,978,079 4,017,415 3,994,820 4,053,430 4,064,064 4,064,428 4,076,645 4,308,395 4,313,843 4,338,213 4,366,079 4,401,585 4,405,513 4,407,743 4,50,305 4,462,931 4,282,357 ______________________________________
Various lightstick assemblies useful in emergency are known. For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,900,728 and 4,193,109 disclose a lightstick assembly comprising a lightstick, a sleeve in which the lightstick is stored and an attached actuating device allowing activation of the lightstick with the use of only one hand. U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,426 discloses an emergency lighting device comprising the lightstick assembly of U.S. Pat. No. 3,900,728 and a container in which the assembly is retained such that a lantern-like light source is produced.
While the above devices have received commercial acceptability, an improved device which comprises a light source, a connecting means between the light source and its protective container is believed to provide a number of improvements in use. In the circumstances when emergency lighting devices such as the above are utilized, it may be important to retain both the lightstick and its container. For example, a lightstick cannot be selectively extinguished once activated. However, its insertion into an opaque container would effectively limit the emission of its produced light. Use of the lightstick and its container in conjunction would also enable its user to transmit coded signals to another over short distances. Absent a connecting means between these two components, retention both components may be difficult to accomplish under the conditions of anticipated use. The present invention preferably provides a lightstick in a package that is adapted for storage of the lightstick for ready access, and that is especially adapted for ease and convenience of use of the light in several kinds of emergency situations. The concept, however, is equally applicable to other chemical light sources and is not limited to sources in the form of lightsticks.